The present invention relates to stands of the type typically used to support a musician's sheet music during musical performances and practices, and more particularly to structures of such stands that facilitate disassembly or collapsing for storage and transport of the stands between uses.
Music stands typically include a planar platform or backing, and a shelf or ledge along one edge of the platform and perpendicular to the platform. The platform is supported through a base, and a post or column coupled to the base and platform. The column/platform coupling typically is adjustable to support the platform at an incline from the horizontal, with the shelf extending upwardly and away from the platform in the shelf width direction. Consequently, sheet music lies against the platform with its bottom edge supported by the shelf. While this type of stand most frequently is used by musicians, it also can be used during presentations to support books, sheets of paper and other materials.
One popular music stand features an open-frame construction in which the platform, shelf, column and base are combined in a single, collapsible framework. These stands, while useful in certain circumstances, are light weight and tend to be unstable, particularly when required to support booklets or multiple sheets of music rather than single sheets. Alternatively, the most common music stands of more stable construction are difficult to transport and store.
The prior art includes examples of attempts to impart more stability to more portable music stand designs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,156,489 (Bonetti) shows a music stand with opposite sides that fold into a case when removed from a supporting standard. At the bottom of the standard is a heavy, single-piece base. The base and standard fit into one side of the case.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,553 (Cooper) describes a portable stand with a rack formed of opposite side members, each pivotally connected to an upright central spine. The spine is hollow, and includes a closed end and an opposite end with a snap-lock door. Inside the spine is a yoke for mounting the rack pivotally on a telescoping post. At the bottom of the post is a housing that supports three pivoting legs. The post and legs are collapsible to fit within the spine. A somewhat similar design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,481,264 (Tuloweicki). In this design, cover sections on opposite sides of a central plate are hinged to the plate. A compartment behind the plate, or at the bottom of a case formed by the cover sections when closed, stores a telescoping stand and collapsible legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,933 (Nelson) discloses a music stand with a tray which, together with a support post, fits into a box-like base and cooperates with the base to form an enclosure. U.S. Pat. No. 2,474,532 (Kitchen) shows a combination loose-leaf binder and music stand table.
While having some utility, these satchel or briefcase designs remain relatively large and cumbersome in their storage/transport configurations. They frequently incorporate extra components necessary for storage or closure but having no utility in connection with use in the open configuration as a music stand. In some cases these closure components detract from use, as with rims or flanges along the side edges or upper edges of the music supporting platform, as seen in the Cooper, Tuloweicki and Nelson patents.
Another problem associated with music stands, whether or not portable, is the lack of a capacity to accommodate accessories, e.g. reeds for woodwind instruments, pencils, markers, and valve oil, which the musician may use during a performance or practice. When placed on the shelf supporting sheet music, such accessories tend to interfere with use of the sheet music, and can be knocked off the shelf when a sheet or page is turned. As a result, needed accessories frequently are kept in an instrument case, or on the floor near the music stand, and thus are not as conveniently accessible.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable stand that is structurally sound and stable when configured for use, and is collapsible into a smaller, more easily stored and transported package when not in use.
Another object is to provide a portable stand design that minimizes the number of components useful only in a collapsed, storage configuration of a stand having alternative configurations for storage and use.
A further object is to provide a portable music stand expandable into an open setting for use and alternatively a closed setting for storage or transport, with enhanced utility in the open configuration.
Yet another object is to provide an improved process for stowing a portable stand.